Jesuits open first novitiate in Bangladesh with help from ACN

Thirty years after returning to Bangladesh, the Jesuits are opening a new novitiate on July 16 in the South Asian country, where Christians are a small minority. By allowing the novices to have their initial formation in their own culture and language, the Jesuits hope to promote vocations. (Photo: from the beginning, the construction process …

Pakistan – Desperate plea for Christian man put on death row

The chair of the Catholic (National) Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) in Pakistan has condemned a court for ordering the death sentence on a Christian man found guilty of blasphemy in connection with one of the worst atrocities against minorities in the country’s history. Bishop Samson Shukardin of Hyderabad, president of the Catholic Bishops’ …

East Timor – Pope’s visit expected to be a source of hope and many blessings

Devotion to the Catholic Church is one of the distinguishing aspects of East Timorese culture. Francis will be the second pope to visit the territory, but the first since independence. East Timor is one of the world’s youngest countries, having obtained independence in 2002. Pope Francis’ visit from September 9 to 11 this year will …

Pakistan calls for“swift and impartial justice” following mob killing of Christian man

Christians in Pakistan have demanded Punjab officials bring to justice the perpetrators of the brutal attack on Nazir Gill Masih in Sargodha, which resulted in his death. (Photo : Church authorities meet police chief after attack, May 25). In a recent report sent to the international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), …

Pakistan: Another victim of religious persecution

On June 3, Nazir Gill Masih, a 72-year-old Christian, succumbed to his injuries. A resident of Sargodha, a town in Punjab province, he had been beaten by a mob falsely accusing him of blasphemy 10 days earlier. (Cover photo : On May 25, Archbishop Joseph Arshad and Christian Senator Tahir Khalil Sindu visited the police …

A Christian family in Pakistan attacked by an angry mob

A Christian was brutally beaten after a false accusation of burning pages of the Quran. A mob of fanatics destroyed their house and business. The victim is in hospital, in critical condition. (Cover photo: Screen capture). A Christian family in Pakistan suffered a violent attack at the hands of an angry mob of Muslim fanatics this …

Philippines – Strengthening the faith of Catholics in Mindanao

A groundbreaking formation for catechists is set to begin on the island of Mindanao, in the spirit of the Silsilah Dialogue Movement, which marks its 40th anniversary this year. The island has been plagued by interreligious violence and tension for decades, spearheaded by Islamist militant groups. Dozens of catechists will come together to attend a …

India – Seminarian ministering in dangerous jungle ordained priest

A brave Catholic seminarian who spent his pastoral placement ministering in India’s remote, cobra-infested jungle has been ordained last Sunday. Then Deacon Santosh Kumar has been ministering in the parish Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Kalapahad, North Andaman, where parishioners regularly walk 6 km through dangerous forests to attend Sunday Mass. But Deacon Kumar and …

ACN Success Story – India

A pastoral centre for the Diocese of Diphu The Diocese of Diphu lies in the state of Assam in the far northeast of India. This is a region of great poverty, where a variety of Indigenous tribes traditionally live. Most of them still adhere to their traditional tribal religions. The number of Catholic faithful in …

Sri Lanka-A town stands as a witness to the Resurrection after persecution

Five years after the Easter bombings, thousands of faithful have signed a petition addressed to Cardinal Malcom Ranjith, asking him to open a Cause for Beatification for the 171 Catholics killed in that tragic event. Cover photo: parishioners pray before a statue of the risen Christ, stained with the blood of the martyrs of Easter …